Generally, machine-to-machine (M2M) refers to a class of technologies that allow devices (wired, wireless, or a combination thereof) to communicate with other devices of same or similar ability. As an example, an M2M application may use a device (such as a sensor or a meter) to capture an event (for example, temperature, inventory information, and so forth) that is relayed through a communications system, which may be wired, wireless, or a combination thereof, to an application that translates the event into meaningful information. Typically, the communications from the device to the application is accomplished by having a remote network of machines relay the information to a central hub for analysis, which may then be forwarded to a system, such as a personal computer.
Modern M2M applications have expanded beyond simple one-to-one connections into a system of networks that transmit data between personal appliances, leading to systems with very large numbers of devices (potentially on the order of tens or hundreds of millions of devices). Combined with the expansion of wireless communications systems around the world, facilitating M2M communications is easier than ever, lessening the amount of time, power, and cost needed for information to be shared between machines.
However, the sheer number of devices that needs to be supported may become a burden to the wireless communications systems. Therefore, there is a need for a system and method for reducing the burden on the wireless communications systems from the large number of M2M devices and their associated communications.